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Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day, a day to remember decorated veterans of the Civil War. We now honor all who have served or are serving to preserve and protect our Constitution and country. I remember walking away from my jet after landing at an air base on foreign soil. We'd been deployed away from home for what seemed like a long time and, every once in a while, I'd get homesick. As we walked toward base ops, I looked up and there, floating in the breeze, was the Stars and Stripes framed by puffy white clouds and a deep blue sky. Even now, years later, I get a little misty thinking about my reaction to seeing our flag flying over that U.S. base in another country, the flag that represents so much to freedom-loving people everywhere. I'm not so naive as to think that our country and government are without warts, especially now, as the Constitution is under attack from the same elected politicians that are sworn to uphold it. That doesn't change the fact that for centuries, the United States of America has been, and is, the light of the world - a country that supports and defends those who fight for freedom, no matter where they are or who they may be. Think about what the world would be like if there was no United States . . . if there was no arsenal of democracy to help those attacked and opressed by tyrants and evil forces. Here's to you, all who have made the choice to stand up to that evil and fight it with all your might. Whether you're in harm's way in Iraq or Afghanistan, monitoring a towed sonar array deep beneath the Pacific Ocean, about to engage in an ACM at angels 25, or counting MRE's in a supply depot somewhere in the U.S. - you're serving and protecting us and have earned our eternal gratitude. Whether you realize it or not, you're the bearers of light in this war. Our enemies really ARE the enemy.
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